Thirty Years Later, I Said 'Yes' Again

My initial engagement/wedding ring was stolen in 2001 while we were living in Utah. I was devastated, for several reasons. One, it was gorgeous and one of a kind; had been designed just for me. Second, it was expensive...about $4000. So it was quite disappointing to have it stolen in Utah while we were at church.
The next year, for our 20th anniversary, Del bought me another ring and gave it to me for Christmas in my stocking. It was also designed just for me...a half carat sitting over a band of smaller diamonds in a channel ring. It was beautiful.
The ring has been sitting in my dresser drawer since April as the diamond has been loose and the smaller diamonds have been collapsing in the channel. I've been sad not to wear it.
As I mentioned in my Christmas post, Del made me and each of the girls jewelry boxes for Christmas. Over the past 4 weeks, he has spent endless hours out in the garage building and making our gifts...and I have looked forward with great anticipation to the surprise I knew would be ours Christmas Day. Del brought in 4 boxes and placed one in front of each of us girls.
Of course, we each opened the boxes and 'ooh'd and ahh'd' over the beauty of each box but mine was the only one that held a special gift inside.
You can see the pictures. My box held a new wedding ring and anniversary band. I was stunned. The jeweler had taken the large diamond off my previous ring, smoothed down the sides and re-secured the smaller diamonds in the channel, dipped it in white gold, making a completely new anniversary band. Then, he had taken the large diamond and placed it in a completely new wedding set.
You can see the results.
I cried.
I love Del; I truly do. I don't deserve him or his kindness and love, but I love him. And he loves me. We've had a difficult year but one that I have promised him is in the past and will never be in our lives again. I have committed my heart and love to him again, for eternity. I feel so blessed that he has accepted this commitment from me.
I would marry him all over again...so I accepted the new wedding ring with a resounding 'YES' and gave him a kiss to seal the memory.
I am so blessed.